Holiday Cancellation Woe - Followed Procedures

ferf1223

gc_bus wrote: »

All I was of the understanding that the insurance covers you for the duration of the holiday but not beforehand. Additionally, I could have bought the insurance the day before the holiday began for the same price and therefore would not have lost the insurance payment by buying it early. Note that this insurance purchased ONLY covers the period of the holiday (i.e. whils "away") yet having cancelled the holiday I find that I am still paying for the insurance which now will cover nothing.

So you are saying that the insurance you purchased for £98 for 2 people had no coverage for any events leading up to the trip - only coverage while you were away? If, for example, you had developed a medical condition that made you unable to travel in the intervening period, it would not have covered you for a cancellation due to that medical condition?

if so, then it was rubbish travel insurance to begin with...I suppose unless there are significant pre-existing conditions that would result in such a high premium...we pay a bit more than that for 2 for worldwide cover for a year.

What most travel insurance policies do in simple terms is include cover for events leading up to the holiday that would mean you have to cancel (in addition to benefits whist away).

It wouldn't cover your decision not to travel just because, of course...but it would normally have covered certain types of events that would result in you cancelling.

peachyprice

Well, no, it's not a grey area at all. Any travel insurance policy that includes cancellation cover has to be operative from the time you buy it, otherwise how could you claim for cancellation before you travelled? You don't claim for cancellation during or after a holiday.

Also, why did Shearings cancel the policy? It 's your policy that you bought and paid for, the only people who can cancel it are you and the insurer. Did Shearings even ask if you were going to claim on it?

peachyprice

ferf1223 wrote: »

So you are saying that the insurance you purchased for £98 for 2 people had no coverage for any events leading up to the trip - only coverage while you were away? If, for example, you had developed a medical condition that made you unable to travel in the intervening period, it would not have covered you for a cancellation due to that medical condition?

if so, then it was rubbish travel insurance to begin with...I suppose unless there are significant pre-existing conditions that would result in such a high premium...we pay a bit more than that for 2 for worldwide cover for a year.

What most travel insurance policies do in simple terms is include cover for events leading up to the holiday that would mean you have to cancel (in addition to benefits whist away).

It wouldn't cover your decision not to travel just because, of course...but it would normally have covered certain types of events that would result in you cancelling.

A copy of the policy is in my post #30, it DOES cover for cancellation.

claire16c

gc_bus wrote: »

Indeed and that's whereby customers get confused. I certainly didn't realise it was from the time I bought it as I thought it was to cover the time from when we would be away on holiday. I don't purchase car insurance to cover a car some six months before I purchase the car and therefore your analogy is imperfect.

Half the point of travel insurance is to cover cancellation. The other parts are to cover illness abroad etc therefore if you need to cancel like you are, you claim on the insurance!!

And unless you have some kind of pre existing illnesses £98 is a complete rip off.

HoofeHearted

Reading between the lines, it sounds like Shearings try to get you to pay the full amount so that they have full payment for the cancelled holiday. They may also be able to re-sell the holiday to someone else.(££)

Then the person who has cancelled and paid in full, will try to get the insurance company to pay for their holiday, less deposit and any excess.

Never purchase travel insurance from the company selling the holiday. It is nearly always more expensive.

ferf1223

peachyprice wrote: »

A copy of the policy is in my post #30, it DOES cover for cancellation.

I assume it did, just trying to nudge the OP into understanding that travel insurance coverage shouldn't just relate to the period you're away only.

The OP doesn't say the reason for the cancellation so I assume it wasn't something that would have been covered by the policy.

photome

gc_bus wrote: »

Indeed and that's whereby customers get confused. I certainly didn't realise it was from the time I bought it as I thought it was to cover the time from when we would be away on holiday. I don't purchase car insurance to cover a car some six months before I purchase the car and therefore your analogy is imperfect.

Gc I hope you understand the insurance you bought now, there are probably many people like you who dont understand that you get the cancellation part.

Another heads up is to next time do a search online for insurance and you would most likely save at least 50%

gc_bus

Thanks guys for all of your points of view - most enlightening.

savvy

Loosely relating to the site rule below, I'm going to close this thread as the OP has had their query answered.

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